HPU graduates are leading prestigious career paths around the world at Fortune 500 companies, international service programs, public school systems, top-tier law, medical and graduate school programs, and many other esteemed organizations thanks to their journey at HPU. Here’s a glimpse at one extraordinary member of the Class of 2023:
Name: Kendall McClure
Hometown: Madison, North Carolina
Major: M.A. in communication and business leadership
Post-graduation plans: McClure joins LPL Financial as a talent specialist: project manager in Fort Mill, South Carolina. In her role, she will manage projects by creating cross-functional teams outside and within the talent department. She will strategically plan and coordinate projects to ensure they reach implementation.
How HPU helped you get there:
“High Point University has put extraordinary people on my path to success. I was surrounded by motivated and inspiring peers and blessed with amazing professors who cared about my success and shared my celebrations. I achieved many milestones throughout my five years at HPU, and I can confidently say I did not do that alone but with my professors and peers by my side. I also visited the Office of Career and Professional Development starting my freshman year. The staff guided me and helped me determine my passions and skill set so I could pick a career that I would succeed in and love.”
Most impactful mentor at HPU:
“Robert Stec, professor of the practice of communication, was my most impactful mentor at High Point University. He taught me critical components that will help me in the real world and the power of sharing stories to create impact and change. I learned and grew tremendously in the numerous classes I took with him. Professors’ impact and compassion for their students is so great that you receive mentorship within every class session.”
How has HPU’s inspiring environment contributed to your success?
“The simplicity of walking to class while listening to classical music on HPU’s Kester International Promenade created in me a calm heart as I approached my workload, balancing leadership positions and an on and off-campus job. College and graduate school are hard, but HPU’s environment inspired me to take it slow and enjoy the trees and sunshine. My friends would ask me, ‘How do you get so ahead in your schoolwork?’ My answer was by doing work in the Butterfly Garden. The garden was so peaceful I would sit outside for hours doing work while soaking in the beauty of the campus.”
What are the life skills HPU helped you develop that prepared you for long-term success?
“Growth mindset is instilled in students from day one at High Point University. Through my time at HPU, I have learned what a growth mindset is, but more importantly, I experienced the power of having a growth mindset.”
What are the values and virtues HPU’s campus helped you develop that you’ll take with you after graduation?
“Remembering what you value first and letting everything flow from that. High Point University values God, family and country, and I have seen as HPU expands and grows, everything is an overflow of what they value first. As I go forward, I will remember to be critical in what I put first and reflect on what guided me.”
Advice for underclassmen:
“Remember that there is always a next step. However, do not rush to complete the next steps but enjoy them. And be grateful for the opportunities presented to you. For the education, mentorship and growth opportunities at HPU are extraordinary and should not be taken for granted.”
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